At the NSCA Expo last week in Orlando, Fla., Pioneer exhibited its 50-inch 1080p plasma display, which is about to be unveiled in the U.S. market after its initial debut in Japan and Europe. The unit (model PDP-5000EX) is one of only a few (albeit growing number) of plasma monitors capable of displaying content at 1080p 24 Hz--which Pioneer points out is technically required to preserve a feature film's "original sequence," according to the company.
The 1080i unit is currently being marketed for professional use, with the manufacturer hoping that major film studios and authoring houses will be among the early adopters for testing and evaluation of Blu-ray Disc movie titles. The 5000EX contains what Pioneer calls a Deep Waffle Rib Structure, which "makes each cell deeper to increase overall phosphor area for a brighter image." The firm said by encasing each cell with horizontal ribs, leakage of light from neighboring cells is reduced for more accurate images.
Wedged between the plasma glass is a crystal layer that permits individual light cells to conduct energy more efficiently so each cell is charged and discharged at a faster rate, which it says improves contrast and brightness, provides deeper blacks and enables increased detail in dark scenes.
